


Ocean

by Evans_Break



Category: Original Work
Genre: Beaches, Best Friends, Deaf, Deaf Character, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Inspired by Music, Mermaids, Music, Mute - Freeform, Ocean, Original Story - Freeform, Sea, Seatown, Shells, Siren, Sirens, Strangers, Strangers to Friends, friends - Freeform, mermaid, mute character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 22:41:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11114394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evans_Break/pseuds/Evans_Break
Summary: The story of a boy who just moved to a little city by the coast and a redheaded mysteryous girl. How can the two be friends? What are the secrets that the girl hides in herself?





	Ocean

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again reader!  
> This time, again, i'm here with an original story.  
> I started writing this a long time ago and just a few days ago i decided to continue it.  
> I don't know how long it will be, but so far i have two chapters ready. I hope you'll enjoy it. And thank you for passing by. *tip his hat*

Zack threw his backpack on the floor, lying helpless on the side of the bed. The trip was tiring, ten hours drive to Baytown, a lovely town of about seven thousand souls overlooking the ocean. His father had accepted the place as a marine biologis at the lab situated north of the city, so the whole family had moved them. I will not tell you how Zack was irritated by the situation, as it would be easy to imagine. Although he was born and raised in a metropolis, he had taken the news of the transfer with enthusiasm, as well as his younger sister, Gaia, of five years younger. He saw it as an opportunity to discover new places and new things. Not that he especially loved the sea, but the place was charming and there was so much to explore, that was enough for him.

  
He sat on the couch resting against the window, looking out. It was late, the sun was shutting away beyond the horizon, immersed in a thousand jagged waves. Under his house there was a bus stop.

  
-Pfft, guess how many people will take the bus here ... we are almost a five minute walk away from everything. It's a useless stop-

  
And the void in the booth seemed to confirm his theory. But a little later a girl appeared. She sat on the bench, sheltered from the roof of the stop. Zack was surprised to see that someone was actually taking the bus. The girl was wearing headphones almost hidden by the mass of red hair that made her look like a proud lion. She wore a light coat and a scarf covering her face over her nose. The cold was coming back after all, it was late autumn and a frosty sea wind blown through the streets of the city.  
Zack watched her for a few minutes imagining the path the girl would have taken to go home, wherever it was.  
He knew the map of the city by now, and he had studied the details from hisphone while traveling.

  
-Zack, it's ready! Tonight we eat chinese!- Gaia shrieked from behind the door. The boy gasped, it was dark now, both outside and inside.  
-How long have I been at the window- He asked as he groaned with a moan. -Coming, coming!- He walked, giving a last glance at the girl at the stop, trying to tinker with his smartphone, maybe looking for some songs. -Bye red-haired stranger, have a safe trip.-  
Zack chuckled and went down the stairs behind his sister.

 

* * *

  
Oddly at night, the boy found himself thinking about the girl he had seen a few hours before. There was something intriguing in her, but he did not know what.  
<Bah, whatever... who knows if I'll ever see her again, ah!- He grumbled as he turned sideways and fell asleep shortly afterwards.

The next day Zack got up early, though he practically had nothing to do. Atthe middle of the year it was not worth going to school, his parents preferred that he and his sister be studying at home and start school directly the following year. The boy went out after taking a couple of cookies from the kitchen. The smell of saltiness was permeating the air. Not far away there was Baytown's harbor and the gulls flew a little over his head, headed for it in search of some fish left inadverently by fishermen.  
Zack started wandering in the streets of Baytown, the people he met were busy but with the smile on their lips greeted the newcomer, even with only a nod of their head. He alked past various shops selling the most varied things: groceries, bait shops, tobaccos, fishmongers, mechanics, music-stores and so on.  
It was right inside the music store that he saw her. He stopped suddenly in front of the shop window.

The bus-stop girl was there, scavenging in a drawer full of vinyls. Zack was tempted to come in and go to meet her but suddenly the phone rang.

  
-Yes mum, it's fine, flour and eggs, yes, later, yes, bye!-  
When the call was closed, the boy turned back to the window but the girl was no longer there.

  
He went into the shop, the place was warm and welcoming. At the counter, a middle-aged man, perhaps the owner, with a calm smile greeted the customer. Zack answered the greetings and asked about the girl.  
-Oh, you mean Skye? She just got out, she was in a hurry. Why are you looking for her? Are you a friend of her?-  
-No, no. It looked like a person I knew and thought was just her.- he young man lied, fearing being taken for a maniac.  
-I understand. I've never seen you here, are you new?-  
-Yes, my name is Zack. Me and my family have just moved on. My father works at the marine lab.-  
-Ahh! Sure, I had heard that a new researcher would join the team. Well, welcome boy, Baytown is a small town but fun does not miss.-  
-Thank you so much! I think I'll came here often, music is one of my passions!> And this time it was the truth.  
-Then let me give you one thin- said the shopkeeper, fumbling in the shelf behind him. -Where are you? Ah, here it is!- he turned back to Zack with a CD in her hands.  
-This CD contains songs related to the Baytown tradition, consider it a welcome gift!- The case was anonymous, had no artist or song names. A simple case of those that are bought i stock at the electronics store. The same thing was for the CD inside.  
Zack thanked the man and started shopping for the mother.

  
That night Zack found himself alone in the room. He decided to listen to the CD that was given him in the morning. The melodies of the songs reminded the waves of the sea and the lyrics were all about pirates, fishermen, men and women who bravely moved so far from their native placea to build what would become Baytown in that wild corner of the worl, that Baytown was in those days. He sat on the couch and looked at the panorama, again the sunset. He looked at the stop, and suddenly the flamboyant-haired girl came out of the street again.  
-Skye.- Whispered the young man. -Are you waiting for the bus again?-.  
The last song had begun, singing of a siren but Zack could not understand the rest of the lyrics because it was not sung all in the same language as the other songs.  
The bus arrived after about half an hour after and Skye got up, Zack lost sight of her.  
The boy sighed, again that feeling of incompleteness. He felt something was escaping him but.. nothing, he could not figure out what. Disappointed, he went downstairs to dinner.  
That night she dreamed of sirens, pirates, and immense treasures hidden beneath the sea.

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning, Zack decided to venture on the beach that stretched south of the city. With headphones in his ears he walked by the sea. Walking relaxes him, let him think and reflect. In this case, he wanted to understand what that girl had so different that confuse him. Several times he bent over the walk, looking for a shell for his collection. He had some and all corresponded to memories of his life. But that day did not seem to be any suitable. All broken, either too small or large.  
<Uff.. Unlucky day, today.> he sat on a rock looking at the sea. Everything was so quiet though cold. He pulled on the hood of his jacket and stood watching the waves. Suddenly he heard a noise behind him. Turning, suddenly saw a shell hanging on the rock.  
-But this.. - he took it between his fingers and examined it -..this is perfect. But it was not there before! How did it come here?- He wondered looking around. His gaze lay on the road that lined the beach. A girl walked slowly and careless in the direction of the city.

  
-You.-  
The boy jumped off the rocks and rushed to her. Great steps went up the small hill that led to the road andthe moment he touched the asphalt of the sidewalk, he screamed out loudly: -Hey! Wait a moment!-  
But the girl seemed to ignore him.

  
-Headphones in the ears isolate her from everything. But how much high the volume is to not hear me?- Zack thought, seeing the hipped headphones  
He started his race toward the youg girl until he could touch her shoulder. She turned frightened by the sudden touch.

  
Zack petrified, embarrassed. He stammered a few words before breathing again. -Hey, hello! Sorry if i scared you! My name is Zack and I'm new to the city.-  
The girl tried to hide in her hair, her headphones still over her ears. With a nod of his hand he greeted him smiling with shyness.  
-I, here, forgive my officiousness.. uhm.. It's a while that I'm here and I've seen you take the bus several times under my house in the evening.-  
She nodded with her head.  
-Then I saw you in the music store yesterday, but I didn't have the time to enter that you were already out. Your name is Skye, right?-  
The girl looked at him frowning and a bit afraid.  
Zack froze. -Ehm, the shopkeeper has told me your name. I hope it's not a problem for you. I'm not a maniac!-

\--You're a moron!-- He thought immediately, biting his tongue.

-Um. In fact I just wanted to meet you, you know I'm fairly new here, I do not go to school because I skipped the year and you look nice .. and I just realized that I talked all allong so far so now i'll just stay silent, I leave the word to you.-

\-- A true moron, patented as well.-

Skye relaxed a little and smiled at the young man. She quickly started fumbling with the cellphone as if writing a message while Zack looked at her curiously. After a few moments the girl gave him the pone with a smile.

  
-Do you wan me to read?- He asked. She nodded again. The boy lowered his eyes and read the text on the display.

  
[Hello Zack, pleasure to meet you. I'm Skye, as you already know. Do not worry about talking, you know, I'm deaf and mute, so I'm not much like conversation. Thank you for being nice to me.] The message ended with a smile.  
Zack stood silently looking at the phone and tthen looked up to he. She shrugged, smiling.

  
-Oh.. sorry..not.. I did not know .. but you wear your headphones .. arn't you listening to music? And anyway you understand me. How can you?> The girl took the phone and erased the previous text and started again to write.

  
[I do not hear music, it's just a.. habit, if you can call so. 'Listen' to you and others in general is simple: I read your lips!- Again a smile at the end, this time one of those with the tongue out.

  
-Right! I did not think that!-  
Skye laughs silently. Zack instead rubbed embarrassed his nape.  
[So you're me proposing to become your friend?] She wrote, ending with a meditating smile.  
-I would say yes! Yes, I would be your friend!- He chuckled.  
[Then I'll propose something to you, friend. This day after tomorrow, at sunset, come to the cliff of the gull, down there.]  
Zack looked at her with a questionable look, and she answered pointing her index south of where they were at that moment.  
The boy nodded smiling. -Okay!-  
[I'm going home now, if you want you can accompany m, the bus stop is the one you already know.]

  
He agreed and began to walk to the city, "chatting" abo this and that. When they arrived Zack saluted Skye and came back as she hid her face in the warm scarf for a while. The boy ran up the stairs and rushed into his room, and again he saw her like the other evenings, waiting for her at the bus who would have taken her home. He saw her smile from afar while she was fumbling with her smartphone.  
<Bye Skye, see you tomorrow.> And he smiled when the bus finally came and the girl disappeared from his sight.

 

* * *

 

The day went quiet in the town. This time, Zack stayed longer in bed, rising onlywhen it was full day. When he left home he went to the sweets shop at the bottom of Oaken Street and bought bonbon to share with Skye. He also decided to go to the harbor because it was an hour at noon and his mother asked him if he could take some things to the fishmonger. Arriving in the area, he realized he did not know where the fishmonger was. Disorientated, he looked around in search of someone to ask. Apart from sailors on ships, busy as industrious ants, there was an old fisherman on the dock. Sitting on a chest, he was contemplating the sea smoking his old pipe. Zack kindly greeted him.

  
-Hello sir. Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find Mr. Bill's fish shop?-  
The old man turned to the boy and said with a loud voice -Do not call me sir, boy, my name is Old Jack.- An he gave me the most affable smile he could do. -The fishermonger is at the bottom of the pier 6.I never seen youhere, are you new?>  
-Yes sir..Ehm Old Jack, my name is Zack and I just moved here with my family.-  
-Well, well. It's always a delight when someone joins our big family. Tell Bill i sent you, he will make you a nice discount price.

-Thank you very much, Jack!- The boy bowed.

-No problem, boy.- And he approached the pipe to his mouth. -And be warned, be careful with sirens, sometimes they do not know how to behave with humans that are not of this place.- Old Jack again turned looking at the sea.  
Zack fell silent, remembering that last CD song. The sirens. -Old fairy tale..- he thought giggling. -Sure, do not worry! Again thanks and goodbye!- Jack replied with a gesture of his hand, already lost again among the thousand dreams hidden in the waves.

-Mom, I'm leaving! I'll be back at eight o'clock. I'll eat something out- the boy shouted from the entrance, to his mother.  
-Alright, have fun!- She answered, trying to arrange her ornaments in the new kitchen.

 

* * *

  
Cold air pinched Zack's cheeks,who shivered, shrugging in the coat. Walking to the cliff took about twenty minutes. Checking that the bag with the bonbon was in his pocket, the young man started off the road. The music came out lightly from his headphones and soon the surrounding environment counted nothing more.

At the top of the cliff there was an old tree that stretched its branches to the sea, though its roots were firmly anchored to the ground. Zack sat down with his back against the trunk. Skye had not arrived yet, so to pass the time he started playing with grass wires, twisting them. The breeze cradled it and soon found himself sleeping. Shaken by a falling leaf on his face he woke up suddenly and with surprise Skye was standing in front of him, kneeling, laughing.

-Oh, well, here, yeah .. I was not sleeping!- he rubbed his face, embarrassed.

[You came, I'm happy!]  
\--Skye and her inevitable phone.-- thought Zack, smiling.  
-Obviously I came! You can always trust my promise!- He exclaimed, taking his fist at his chest as a soldier on guard.  
-Oh yeah! There! He continued, taking the bag full of sweets out of his pocket.  
Skye looked at him interrogatively.  
-Those are bonbon, I bought them this morning.-  
The girl's face lit up and grabbed the sweets. She immediately took one and tossed it in her mouth. As soon as she had eaten, she united his hands as if in prayer and made an half bow. [Thank you. They are very good!]  
-You're welcome. I'm glad you like them. Rather, why did you bring me here?- He asked, leaning his back to the tree again.

  
The girl started writing fast on the keyboard: [This is my special place. I usually come here alone to contemplate the infinity of the sea and its mysteries. You know, I do not have many friends so I'm almost always alone .. yet coming here I never feel the lack of anyone. This tree is the protector of the cliff and of the whole city.  
But like me, it's alone, so I come and make each other company. Now I've met you, who say you want to be my friend. That's why I wanted to share this place with you. Friends do this, don't they?]

  
-Yes, I think so. This place is beautiful. Thank you for showing me.- Zack smiled and so did Skye, who ate another bonbon before hiding under the scarf.

  
[At night, the moon and stars are reflected in the sea, almost as if the sky split. But my favorite time is this when the sun go down in the sea. Everything is so warm, so red. It makes me feel safe.]

  
The boy just nodded, looking up at sunset. Skye was right, it was so simple but so beautiful.  
He turned to Skye, she also lost herself in the sunset.

  
-How many years could she have? She looks smaller than me, at least my same age.--he wondered. He immediately met her phone screen near his face. [I'm 17 years old.] And a smile accompanied the text.

-Wha...- Zack said, taken aback.

[I'm 17, I thought you wanted to know my age. And my name is Skye Phoebe Evans. This is my full name.]  
-Oh, then you are my age. Well, I'm Zack Break.- Replied the boy smiling.  
[Pleaed to meet you again Zack Break.] Skye handed her hand to the boy, who shook her.  
-Pleasure is mine, Skye Phoebe Evans.- He laughed. -I think we will be great friends.-  
[I believe it, too.] She wrote, then rest on the tree next to him. Both looked at the last ray of sunshine drifting into the waves and shortly after the stars began to reflect on the dark surface of the sea.


End file.
